To solve all these issues the book titled “Menopause” has been written which deals with logical hormone therapy for peri- and postmenopause. To decrease the risk of long-term hormone therapy, newer modalities of alternative therapies have also been discussed benefitting bone and other target end organs. In the maze of these issues, healthy lifestyle and balanced diet stand to have undisputable benefits devoid of any side effects. The current recommendations regarding both hormonal and non-hormonal aspects have been covered in detail. Although the book discusses all the scientific data and evidence in detail, the last section on practical aspects of dispensing HT with proper counseling adds the color.

The contributors are authorities on the subjects and very efficiently deal with their respective topics covering all the aspects. The editor Director-Professor Neerja Goel who has more than two decades of association with me is an astute teacher and excellent clinician. She has devoted herself for the cause of menopause for the past 25 years. Dr Bindiya Gupta has been a brilliant student and has several research publications and awards to her credit. She is a devoted gynecologist and has done excellent work as the editor of the book.

I wish both of them great success. I am sure the book will be of great help for medical students, teachers and practicing gynecologists. I once again appreciate the hard work put in by the editors and complement them.

When the hormone of feminity or “estrogen” was first given to the world as a treatment for all menopausal problems, it revolutionized menopausal medicine. It was the dawn of new hope for the medical world and the ever increasing older population. However, successive trials like WHI, MWS, HERS, etc. came like a jolt out of the blue and made a full stop on all hormonal prescriptions. Researchers searched for alternatives and newer medicines to combat the troublesome signs and symptoms. Meanwhile more evidence came from reanalysis of the results of these trials and new hormonal and non- hormonal preparations and delivery systems were discovered. The second section deals with all the aspects of hormone therapy, current evidence and its use in the management of common menopausal symptoms.

The third section deals with both complex and sensitive issues. Besides chronic conditions like cardiac diseases, sarcopenia and cognition, the safety of hormone therapy in cancer has been discussed in this section. The chapter on alternative therapies describes in detail various non-pharmacologic remedies of menopausal symptoms. With more technological advances, the concept of reproduction has been revolutionized. These reproductive issues have been discussed in relation to current scenario in peri- and postmenopause. Also the need of contraception in the initial perimenopausal years has been highlighted. Besides natural menopause, we have also discussed special issues of surgical, delayed and premature menopause. Although all the chapters convey the current recommendations and latest scientific evidence, the last section summarizes it all. Actual problem-based prescriptions are given with patient counseling which we hope will be very beneficial to our readers.

The book is a rich amalgamation of not only scientific knowledge and evidence-based literature but a vast and rich experience of clinical practice of menopause, especially of Dr Neerja Goel. In fact the book is her brainchild and her inspiration was a guiding force for Dr Bindiya Gupta.12

However, this book would not have seen light had it not been our publisher M/s Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd., New Delhi, India who have been our strength and have given us constant support and guidance. We also thank various pharmaceutical companies for their trust and support. We have put in our hard work, but the book would not have been possible without our contributors who have shared their vast experience and scientific knowledge in their chapters. We also thanks our residents who helped us getting scientific material and did our odd jobs.

Last but not the least, we thank the Almighty for giving us patience and strength and we are indebted to our families, who were our pillars of strength and supported us both mentally and physically. As we remember our journey through this book, it was one of thrill, excitement, satisfaction and content. We hope the readers have an enriching experience as they go through this journey titled “Menopause”.